Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    • Environmental Topics
    • Air
    • Bed Bugs
    • Chemicals and Toxics
    • Climate Change
    • Emergency Response
    • Environmental Information by Location
    • Environmental Justice
    • Greener Living
    • Health
    • Land, Waste, and Cleanup
    • Lead
    • Mold
    • Pesticides
    • Radon
    • Science Topics
    • Water Topics
    • A-Z Topic Index
    • Laws & Regulations
    • By Business Sector
    • By Topic
    • Compliance
    • Enforcement
    • Guidance
    • Laws and Executive Orders
    • Regulations
    • Report a Violation
    • Environmental Violations
    • Fraud, Waste or Abuse
    • About EPA
    • EPA Administrator
    • Organization Chart
    • Staff Directory
    • Planning, Budget, and Results
    • Jobs and Internships
    • Headquarters Offices
    • Regional Offices
    • Lab and Research Centers
Related Topics:
  • NEPA
Contact Us

EPA Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act

EPA is required to comply with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for its:

  • research and development activities,
  • facilities construction,
  • Title II wastewater treatment construction grants under Section 201 of the Clean Water Act,
  • EPA-issued National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for "new sources" as defined in Section 306 of the Clean Water Act, and
  • for certain projects funded through EPA annual Appropriations Acts.

EPA is exempt from NEPA under the following statutes:

  • Section 511(c) of the Clean Water Act exempts most EPA actions under the Clean Water Act from the requirements of NEPA.
  • Section 7(c) of the Energy Supply and Environmental Coordination Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 793(c)(1)) exempts all EPA actions under the Clean Air Act from the requirements of NEPA.

In addition, courts have consistently recognized that certain EPA procedures or environmental reviews under enabling legislation are functionally equivalent to the NEPA process and thus exempt from the procedural requirements of NEPA. The purpose of the functional equivalence exemption is avoidance of repetitious analysis in a decision making process that functions in an equivalent way to the NEPA process.

EPA NEPA Compliance Guidance and Procedures 

  • Environmental Review Guide for Special Appropriation Grants
  • Procedures for Implementing the Requirements of the Council on Environmental Quality on the National Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR Part 6)
  • Statement of Policy for Voluntary Preparation of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Documents (PDF) (3 pp, 156 K, About PDF)

EPA NEPA Compliance Documents

EPA's NEPA Compliance Database contains EPA's NEPA documents, issued after August 1, 2013, for its own actions. The database includes:

  • Categorical Exclusions (CE)
  • Environmental Assessments (EA)
  • Findings of No Significant Impacts (FONSI)

For information on Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) prepared by EPA for its actions, go to the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Database.

Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshot
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Plain Writing
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data.gov
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Open Government
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions

Follow.

Last updated on May 20, 2022